Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir

Chapter 002

Ethan groaned as he stirred, the scent of blood still thick in the air.

His body no longer ached. Instead, a strange energy pulsed through him, as if a dam had burst open inside his veins.

His fingers curled. The ring on his hand glowed faintly.

“What the hell…” A flood of knowledge crashed into his mind—techniques, movements, abilities far beyond his understanding.

His breath hitched. It was as if an ancient force had awakened within him.

Before he could process it, a snarl echoed through the dimly lit cage.

The dogs.

Their once-aggressive stance wavered. One by one, they whimpered and backed away, their heads lowering.

"They’re… bowing? To me?" His heart pounded.

He took a cautious step forward.

The strongest of the pack—a monstrous black hound with piercing red eyes—let out a low growl, but it wasn’t threatening. It was submissive.

A grin tugged at Ethan’s lips. Whatever had changed within him… it was real.

A sharp gust of wind swept through the cage, carrying the distant sound of helicopter blades slicing through the air.

Ethan tensed.

The doors to the cage burst open.

A flood of figures in tactical gear stormed in, their formation precise and ruthless.

“Target secured.”

Ethan’s gaze snapped to the woman leading them.

She moved like a shadow, her icy blue eyes assessing him with an eerie calm. Her long, dark hair was tied in a tight ponytail, and she carried herself with an air of deadly efficiency.

She spoke first, her voice cool and sharp. “Ethan Cross.”

He squared his shoulders. “Who’s asking?”

She didn’t flinch. "Lara. You need to come with us.”

Ethan scoffed. “Yeah? And why would I do that?”

Lara stepped closer, her expression unreadable. “Because you are the son of the King of the World.”

Silence.

Ethan stared at her, waiting for the punchline.

When none came, he let out a dry laugh. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

She didn’t waver. “And yet, you feel it, don’t you? The power awakening within you. Your body no longer weak. The knowledge filling your mind.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. She wasn’t wrong. But this was insane.

He crossed his arms. “Let’s say, for a second, that I believe you. Why the hell would my ‘father’ leave me to rot in some orphanage?”

Lara’s gaze darkened. “Because he thought you were dead.”

Ethan’s breath hitched. "Bullshit.”

She remained composed. "He searched for you. For years. Enemies hid you, buried your identity, made sure you would never find your way back.”

His mind raced. He had spent his entire life believing he was nothing, that he had no past, no future beyond what he scraped together. Now, this?

He exhaled sharply. "And you expect me to just walk away with you?”

She tilted her head. “You don’t have to believe me. But if you want answers—real answers—this is your chance.”

His fingers brushed over the ring. The power inside him surged again, demanding to be acknowledged.

He met Lara’s gaze. "Fine. But if this is some elaborate trick—”

“It’s not.” She turned, signaling to her team.

“Move out.”

The soldiers stepped aside, clearing a path.

Ethan hesitated for only a second before following them toward the waiting helicopters.

As the rotors roared to life, he glanced back at the cage, at the dogs still watching him with reverence.

He stepped off the helicopter, the cool night air brushing against his skin.

His boots hit the marble floor of a massive estate, the sheer grandeur of it making his stomach twist. Towering pillars framed the entrance, golden chandeliers cast a soft glow over the polished floors, and a sense of absolute authority filled the space.

But none of that mattered.

Because the man standing before him looked exactly like him.

Ethan froze, his heart hammering in his chest.

It wasn’t just a resemblance—it was like staring into a mirror, except the man was older, his features sharper, more refined. His piercing golden eyes bore into Ethan, his silver-streaked hair neatly combed back, his stance exuding an aura of dominance that made it impossible to look away.

The man smirked. "So, we finally meet.”

Ethan’s fingers curled into fists. “Who the hell are you?”

The man took a step forward, his gaze never wavering. “I am Magnus Aurelius. Your father.”

Ethan let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, right. My father? That’s funny, because my ‘father’ is dead. At least, that’s what I was told.”

Magnus studied him, his expression unreadable. "They fed you lies. They took you from me. Buried your identity so deep that even I struggled to find you.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. "And what, you just moved on? Gave up?”

Magnus exhaled, his gaze darkening. "I never stopped searching. But by the time I uncovered the truth, they had erased every trace of you.”

His voice held an edge of something Ethan couldn’t quite place—regret? Pain?

Ethan crossed his arms. “So why now? What changed?”

Magnus smiled slightly. "You did.”

His eyes flickered to Ethan’s hand, where the ring still faintly glowed. “Your bloodline awakened. That ring—it responded to you. Just like it did to me.”

Ethan glanced at the ring, his pulse quickening. He didn’t understand any of this, but he couldn’t deny the shift inside him—the energy, the power.

Magnus stepped closer. "You are not just Ethan Cross. You are Ethan Aurelius, my heir. And it’s time for you to take your rightful place.”

Ethan scoffed. "Rightful place? As what?”

Magnus’s smirk widened. "As the next King of the World.”

Silence stretched between them. Ethan searched for any sign of a joke, but Magnus was completely serious.

“You expect me to just accept this? To step into whatever empire you’ve built?” Ethan asked, voice sharp.

Magnus didn’t hesitate. “Yes. And your first task is to take control of Aurelius Group.”

He gestured toward Lara, who stood quietly nearby. “She will assist you as the CEO. But from this moment on, you are the owner.”

Ethan’s mind struggled to catch up with what he had just heard. Magnus spoke as if he were handing over a mere department, but Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group was no ordinary company.

It was a powerhouse, a titan in the Pharmaceutical world—one of the most influential corporations in the country. Even top elites fought tooth and nail to gain its favor, yet Magnus was handing it to him like it was nothing more than a formality. And despite its staggering influence, Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group was still just a subsidiary of the Aurelius Conglomerate—a mere fraction of the empire Magnus controlled.

The weight of it settled on Ethan’s shoulders, but beneath the disbelief, something else flickered—power, responsibility, and the knowledge that from this moment forward, everything had changed.

However, his brows furrowed. “I don’t know the first thing about running a business.”

Magnus smirked. "You don’t have to. Not yet. You’ll learn. Observe. You have the instincts, Ethan. It’s in your blood.”

Ethan swallowed hard. Every part of him screamed that this was insane. But deep down, something stirred—a sense of belonging he had never felt before.

Magnus reached into his pocket and tossed something at him.

Instinctively, Ethan caught it. A sleek, jet-black card.

“There’s no limit,” Magnus said smoothly.

“Use it however you see fit.”

Ethan stared at the card, his mind spinning.

Magnus placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

“The world is yours to take, Ethan. The only question is… will you?”